Gideon's son wanted to be king and killed is family to do it. There are some lessons we should learn from this event.

1. Abimelech
Judges 8:22 – 9:57

2. Background
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You know the story of Gideon
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Tested God with the fleece
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Tested army with how they drank water
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Won the battle with pitchers and torches
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But the story does not end there
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This is the story of Gideon and his son, Abimelech

3. THE PLOT
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Gideon was asked to become their king
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Judges 8:22-23 22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon,
"Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson
also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian."
23 But Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, nor
shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you."
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He lived away from Shechem – at Ophrah

4. THE PLOT
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Gideon was asked to become their king
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Judges 8:24 Then Gideon said to them, "I would like to
make a request of you, that each of you would give me the
earrings from his plunder." For they had gold earrings,
because they were Ishmaelites.
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Gideon made an ephod (garment of the high priest)
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The people of Ophrah used it as an object of worship
(idol).
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It became a snare to Gideon.

5. THE PLOT THICKENS
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Gideon had 70 sons from many wives
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Judges 8:30-31 30 Gideon had seventy sons who were
his own offspring, for he had many wives. 31 And his
concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son,
whose name he called Abimelech.
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Abimelech decides he should be king.
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Kills all his 70 brothers – except one – to become king
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Judges 9:5 Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah
and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on
one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was

6. THE FABLE
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Judges 9:7-15
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Will the Olive tree be king?

7. THE FABLE
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Judges 9:7-15
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Will the Olive tree be king?
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Will the Fig tree be king?

8. THE FABLE
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Judges 9:7-15
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Will the Olive tree be king?
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Will the Fig tree be king?
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Will the Grape vine be king?

9. THE FABLE
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Judges 9:7-15
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Will the Olive tree be king?
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Will the Fig tree be king?
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Will the Grape vine be king?
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Will the bramble bush be king?
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Abimelech was the bramble bush
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Reigned for 3 years

10. THE PLANS
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Now Shechem regrets making him king
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Judges 9:22-24 22 After Abimelech had reigned over
Israel three years, 23 God sent a spirit of ill will between
Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of
Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 that the
crime done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be
settled and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother,
who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who aided
him in the killing of his brothers.

11. THE PLANS
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Judges 9:46 Now when all the men of the tower of
Shechem had heard that, they entered the stronghold of
the temple of the god Berith.
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Abimelech and his men laid branches around and burned
the tower – killing 1,000 men and women.
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Next town was Thebez
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Judges 9:52 So Abimelech came as far as the tower and
fought against it; and he drew near the door of the tower to
burn it with fire.

12. THE END
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Judges 9:53-54 53 But a certain woman dropped an
upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his
skull. 54 Then he called quickly to the young man, his
armorbearer, and said to him, "Draw your sword and kill
me, lest men say of me, 'A woman killed him.' " So his
young man thrust him through, and he died.
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Abilelech is dead. His great plans died with him.
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Many in Shechem died at the hands of their bramble bush
king.

13. THE END
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Judges 9:56-57 56 Thus God repaid the wickedness of
Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his
seventy brothers. 57 And all the evil of the men of
Shechem God returned on their own heads, and on them
came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
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God punished Abimelech
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The wicked men of Shechem were punished
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The curse of Jotham came on them
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Judges 9:20 Jotham said, „Let fire come from Abimelech
and devour the men of Shechem and Beth Millo; and let

14. THE LESSONS TO LEARN
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Good things can become bad – Gideon's ephod

15. THE LESSONS TO LEARN
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Good things can become bad – Gideon's ephod
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Bad things can become evil – Abimelech killed his
brothers

16. THE LESSONS TO LEARN
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Good things can become bad – Gideon's ephod
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Bad things can become evil – Abimelech killed his
brothers
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If not stopped – bad becomes worse.

17. THE LESSONS TO LEARN
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Good things can become bad – Gideon's ephod
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Bad things can become evil – Abimelech killed his
brothers
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If not stopped – bad becomes worse.
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God is still in control.
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Daniel 4:25b till you know that the Most High rules in the
kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.